Archive for December 15th, 2011

Hey guys, the Skadi storyline that was originally going to be up will continue next week, I promise. I hope the readers will be understanding about my making a tribute comic this week. It’s been over a week now since I got the news, but the bad feelings haven’t diminished much. Definitely not enough that I can make a funny or lively comic. I’m having a hard enough time pretending to be normal at work, so when it’s after hours and time to do my own thing, I’m afraid I have to be more honest with how I feel.

My more articulate friends here on Dumm and all over the Internet have already written beautiful and fitting things about Ricky, but I’m the sort of person who sometimes has trouble talking publicly about how I feel. So…I’m gonna list some of the reasons why I loved my friend. Here are the first ones that come to mind.

Ricky wasn’t embarrassed to be cheesy or kind. He gave compliments freely and easily, which is not always the case with artists.
Ricky’s personality was made up of extremes. If Ricky were a Sim in one of those games where you choose a character’s traits based on a sliding scale, for sure the little marker would always be on one side or the other. Not in the middle.
Ricky was my secret keeper, and our friendship often felt like a little kid’s club…the kind you need a password and a bizarre ritual to get into.
Ricky’s a lot like my cat, Baby Cat (AKA Little Ricky). Affectionate and loving for most of the time, and then he bites you on the nose.
Ricky was one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. He knew better than anyone that the number one ingredient to a moving story is allowing yourself to be completely honest and human when telling it.
Ricky pretended to be a wizard with me.
Ricky took the high road when we fought, even though I was stubborn and wouldn’t budge.
Ricky wasn’t afraid to use the word “love”.

Ricky’s death is the worst thing I’ve ever gone through. It feels like there is a hole in my heart. Every time I think about him, cold air blows through it and chills me to my bones. I miss him tremendously. He should be here, making people laugh, and making people think. Improving the art world with his talent and totally unique view of the world, and his ability to stay forever true to himself, regardless of what anyone else thought.